Place Setting, "Contour" Pattern Designer: Robert J. King (American, 1917–2014)
Designer: John Van Koert (American, born Canada, 1912–1998)
Manufacturer: Towle Manufacturing Company (American, founded 1882)

designed 1950; introduced 1951

American Decorative Arts

On view, 1st floor, American Decorative Arts before 1900
Medium

Sterling silver

Dimensions

Knife: 8 7/8 in. (22.54 cm, 80 g)
Dinner fork: 7 5/8 in. (19.37 cm, 60 g)
Salad fork: 6 11/16 in. (16.99 cm, 48 g)
Tablespoon: 7 in. (17.78 cm, 49 g)
Teaspoon: 6 3/8 in. (16.19 cm, 39 g)

Credit Line

Gift of Anne Zehner

Accession Number

2001.48.1.1-.5

Geography

Manufactured in Newburyport, Massachusetts

Culture

American

Period

20th century

Classification

Flatware

Disclaimer

Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Provenance
Anne Zehner, Chevy Chase, Md., by 1998-2001

The donor, Anne Zehner, is a relative of Charles Withers, who was president of Towle when the Contour line was developed. She was encouraged to offer the Art Gallery this place setting by Margret Craver Withers, Charles's widow, who gave the coffee spoon (1998.41.4).
Bibliography
  • John Stuart Gordon et al., A Modern World: American Design from the Yale University Art Gallery, 1920–1950 (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Art Gallery, 2011), 370–71, no. 260
  • "Acquisitions 2001," Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin (2002), 122
Object copyright
Copyright Artist/Estate/Foundation
In Copyright
Additional information

Marks

"TOWLE / STERLING HANDLE / STAINLESS BLADE" incuse on blade of knife; "[lion within a T, in a square] CONTOUR / TOWLE STERLING [in a rectangle]" stamped on the back of the spoon and fork handles

Technical metadata and APIs

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